Christina Martinez

Cristina Martinez wins James Beard award for best Mid-Atlantic chef

Restauranteur Cristina Martinez opened South Philly Barbacoa as a food cart 5 years after moving to Philadelphia from Mexico.

Christina Martinez, the Passyunk Square restauranteur known for her lamb dishes, now named the best chef in the Mid-Atlantic region by the James Beard Foundation.

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Martinez, who opened South Philly Barbacoa as a food cart in 2014, was honored at the foundation’s ceremony in Chicago. South Philly Barbacoa has become famous for its barbacoa tacos and lamb and chickpea consomme.

Christina Martinez also owns Casa Mexico Martinez

The restauranteur, a native of Capulhuac, Mexico – arrived in Philadelphia in 2009. She began working as a pastry chef at Amis in Center City where she met her now-husband and business partner Ben Miller.

Martinez, who is an undocumented immigrant, was fired after the company learned of her illegal status in 2014. That firing sparked her to begin working on the concept that would become South Philly Barbacoa.

She became an activist for the undocumented immigrant community, sharing her experience on “Mejor vete, Cristina,” a Spanish-language podcast about her life.

Martinez also helped create a support group called the Popular Alliance For Undocumented Workers Rights which provided meals and support during the pandemic.

South Philly Barbacoa moved quickly, and in 2017 Martinez received her first James Beard nomination for the best chef in the Mid-Atlantic reward.

She was nominated three more times between 2018 and 2020.

Philadelphia chefs Jesse Ito, of Royal Izakaya, a sushi restaurant, and Chutatip “Nok” Suntaranon, from Kalaya Thai Kitchen, were semi-finalists for best chef in the Mid-Atlantic region.

Ellen Yin of Fork, a.kitchen and High Street Hospitality, was a finalist in the restaurateur of the year category.